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TThe Village of Islandia has completed a taxpayer relief agreement with Delaware North, allowing the corporation to move forward in its bid to operate up to 1,000 Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs), two Suffolk Off-Track Betting kiosks and OTB simulcasts at the Marriott Hotel, located at Exit 58 on the North Service Road of the Long Island Expressway. The agreement follows the Village of Islandia’s Board of Trustees’ approval of a special use permit, subject to the entry of the taxpayer relief agreement, on August 12.

In 2010, the Village eliminated garbage taxes, saving the average resident about $500 per year. “Today, I am proud to say that this agreement will once again provide real tax relief to Village residents,” said Mayor Allan M. Dorman in making the announcement. “Within the first two years after payments begin, Village taxes will be reduced by up to 50%.”

The Mayor went on to say, “I have lived in Suffolk County for 37 years. No one has ever given me real tax relief. When was the last time you heard that government had a plan to reduce taxes by up to 50%?”

Specifically, the agreement provides for equal annual payments amounting to $47 million over the course of its 20-year term. It also includes a payment of $1.53 million for the completion of the construction and development of the Village’s First Responders Recreation Baseball Field on Old Nichols Road. The Village had earlier announced plans to redevelop the park to include concessions, bathrooms and other extensive improvements.

“Rather than bond for the needed improvements at the field, we will be able to move forward with our redevelopment plans, helping to create a baseball field that all Village residents and those from surrounding communities can enjoy and take great pride in,” Mayor Dorman said. “The approval of Delaware North’s application and the taxpayer relief agreement is good public policy, not only for Village residents, but also the surrounding communities. It will provide more jobs and help local businesses. At the same time, the security and operation controls we are placing on the operator, along with reviews every two years, will ensure that it will only enhance the local quality of life we have worked hard to foster in Islandia.”